Prairie State Park in Barton County, Missouri, protects nearly 4,000 acres of grasslands and woodlands, including part of the state’s scarce surviving tallgrass prairie. Set in the central forest-grasslands transition ecoregion, it preserves a landscape where open prairie and patches of woodland exist together. The park is significant as a refuge for one of Missouri’s rarest natural environments and as a place where visitors can experience an ecosystem that once covered much more of the region. Hiking trails, backpack camping, a nature center, and herds of captive wild bison and elk connect recreation with the prairie’s historic character.